Toilet paper dispensing device



P. D. PARSONS TOILET PAPER DISPENSING DEVICE Filed March 6. 1950 July 21, 1931.

Patented July 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHILIP D. PARSONS, OF SWARTHMORE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SCOTT PAPER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA TOILET PAPER DISPENSING DEVICE Application led March 6,

My invention embodies desirable features of construction suitable for holding and dispensing toilet paper in roll form; and includes, among'other qualities, simplicity in operation and design, ruggedness and durability, low-cost in construction, and capacity for easy loading and replacement of the paper rolls.

My improved roll fixture further embodies novel features for automatically applying friction upon the paper roll as an act coincident with the introduction thereof into operative relation with the xture, whereby the roll is insured against too free unreeling of the paper web under rotary momentum which may be imparted to the roll when withdrawing a limited length of the web therefrom. i

My invention embodies further features of improvement, -more particularly relating to the means whereby the paper roll is locked in operative position with capacity of rotation and adapted for easy release or removal when the roll is practically consumed and replacement necessary, the locking means comprising a hinged arm having a hub or pintle for entering the hole in the roll at one end and said arm retained in locked position by a spring actuated means capable of being operated by a key or hand manipulated parts.

My invention also consists of improvements hereinafter described whereby the above objects and results are attained, said improvements comprising certain organization and combination of parts which are fully described hereinafter and more particularly defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a general plan view of my improved roll toilet paper holding and dispensing device, with parts in section taken on line 1"--1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a front view of the device (without the paper roll) Fig. 3 is an end view of the device with a portion in section; Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the device taken on line 4.-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a side view of the hinge pin removed from the device; and Fig. 6 is a sectional view corresponding to lower right hand portion of Fig. 1, modied so as 1930. Serial No. 433,831.

to require a key to unlock the roll retaining means.

In general, the dispensing device comprises three main castings, na-mely, a base or back, a roll supporting end or side arm iXedly positioned on the base or back, and a hinged end or side arm jointed to the other end of the base or back, said fixed and hinged arms having oppositely directed means for engaging the tubular axial aperture in the roll; and with the said parts, VI combine a locking spring part coacting with a heel extension on the hinged end or arm and so positioned on the base or back portion, that it may be moved into releasing position by `manipulation, to unlock or release the hinged arm when necessary and preferably under the control of an authorized attendant.

The base or back frame is shown at 2 and has rigidly secured to it at one end, an arm 3 having at its free end a hub portion 5 shaped to enter the usual axial aperture at one of the paper roll, said arm having at its inner end 8 two spaced lugs 9, 9, fitting into apertures 10, 10, in the base 2, the said parts being clamped in rigid relation by screw 11.

The hub portion 5 is notched or undercut as at 12, and a fiat plate spring 13 having its free end positioned within the undercut portion and shielded thereby, is rigidly held at its other end by a bent portion 14 clamped between theA parts 2 and 3 and through which parts the clamping screw 11 extends. plate spring is employed to put a friction upon the end of the paper roll to prevent it spinning or unreeling too freely.

The base or back frame 2 is provided at its other end with a lug 16 to which the other or hinged arm 4 is hinged by a transverse pin 17. The arm 4 has its hinged end provided with widely spaced hub portions 15, 15, which receive between them the lug 16 and the hinge pin 17. |The pin 17 is preferably made with a knurled portion 18 near one end, so that when the pin is driven through the hub portions 15 and lug 16, the knurled portion will bite into the walls of the hole and firmly hold its position vupon the hinged arm 4. The free end of the arm 4 is provided with a hub portion 6 extend- This ing laterally toward the hub portion 5 of the fixed arm 3, so that the paper roll may vbe frictionally journaled upon and betweensald hubs. The said hubs 5 and 6 may be beveled on their outer edges 7 for easy entrance into the axial hole through the paper roll. The hinged arm 4 may swing from the full line to the dotted line position, the latter being the position for releasing or for loading v as when replacing a used roll with a fresh full roll.

I/Vhen the full roll has been positioned (see dotted lines) and the arm 4 is swung into the full line position, it is'normally locked in that position by the locking spring 2l, which is rigidly clamped at one end to the underside of the base 2 by screw 22 and has its other end free so as to engage a heel extension 19 of the arm 4 (see Figs. l and 6), said heel extension projecting through a slot 20 in the base immediately above the end of the locking spring 21. In Figs. l, 2 and 3, the actuating means for unlocking the arm 4 comprises a flanged push button 23 Which rests upon the spring and extends through a hole 24 in the metal of the base so as to be depressible for lowering the free end of the spring 21 from locking engagement with the heel 19. The resiliency of the spring causes it to normally act as a snap lock when the hinged arm 4 is moved into engagement with the paper roll; and the spring further operates to hold the push button in position.

It will be understood that it may, under some conditions, be desirable to prevent the fixture being readily opened, and'in those cases the push button 23 may be removed so as to require a key or equivalent to be insertedfor actuating the spring. If desired, the aperture 24 may be shaped so as to require a special key or it may be bushed as at 24a and the bushing provided with the key aperture (Fig. 6).

The base frame 2,may have slotted portions 25 with depressed side walls to permit screws or bolts (not shown), to be employed for attaching the fixture in position for use. This base 2 is also box-shaped on its under side to provide space for the screws 11 and 22, as well as the spring 21 and heel extension 19, so that they will not contact with the wall or supporting surface against which the fixture is attached.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it is manifest that my improved dispensing device or fixture is composed of relatively few parts and these so formed as to be easily assembled with a minimum of machine work; thereby insuring accurate construction at the lowest possible cost.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and while I have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the details, as the same are susceptible of modification in various particulars, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A toilet paper dispensing device comprising a tubular paper roll core portion for holding a paper roll to be dispensed, a ixedly positioned base frame having an arm fixedly secured to one end of the base frame and extending laterally therefrom, combined with an adjustable arm hinged to the other end of the base frame and also extending laterally therefrom, said arms respectively provided with hub-like portions rigidly secured to the arms and projecting in opposite directions and having diameters which fit into the ends of the core portion for supporting the paper roll between them, a locking means on the base frame normally snapping into locking position with respect to the hinged arm, and means for permitting said locking means to be moved into unlocking position.

2. A toilet paper dispensing device comprising a base frame having an arm ixedly secured to one end of the base frame and extending laterally therefrom, combined with an adjustable arm hinged to the other end of the base frame and also extending laterally therefrom, saidarms respectively provided with portions projecting in opposite directions for supporting the paper roll between them, a locking means on the base frame normally snapping into locking position with respect to the hinged arm, and means for permitting said locking means to be moved into unlocking position, and wherein further, the oppositely directed portions of the fixed and hinged arms comprise hubs to respectively fit into the open ends of the paper roll and in which also the hub on the fixed arm is undercut, and a friction spring is also provided having one end clamped between the base frame and fixed arm and its other or free end made flat and extending into the undercut space whereby its end is shielded thereby.

3. A toilet paper dispensing device comprising a base frame having an arm fixedly secured to one end of the base frame and extending laterally therefrom, combined with an adjustable-arm hinged to the other end of the base frame and also extending laterally therefrom, said arms respectively provided with portions projecting in opposite directions for supporting the paper roll between them, a locking means on the base frame normally snapping into locking position with respect to the hinged arm, and means for permitting said locking means to be moved into unlocking position, and Wherein further, the xed arm and base frame have a connection formed by spaced engaging projections and recesses and bolted together intermediate of the projections and recesses thereof.

4. A toilet paper dispensing device comprising a base frame having an arm ixedly secured to one end of the base frame and extending laterally therefrom, combined With an adjustable arm hinged to the other end of the base frame and also extending laterally therefrom, said arms respectively provided with portions projecting in opposite directions for supporting the paper roll between them, a locking means on the base frame normally snapping into locking position with respect to the hin ed arm, and means for permitting said locling means to be moved into unlocking position, and Wherein further, the hinged arm is provided With a heel portion extending through the base, and in which also the locking means comprises a spring secured to the base for engaging the heel extension, and means for causing the spring to be forced out of normal locking engagement with the heel extension,

5. A toilet paper dispensing device comprising a base frame having an arm iXedly secured to one end of the base frame and extending laterally therefrom, combined with an adjustable arm hinged to the other end of the base frame and also extending laterally therefrom, said arms respectively provided with portions projecting in opposite directions for supporting the paper roll betweenthem, a locking means on the base frame normally snapping into locking position with respect to the hin ed arm, and means for permitting said locing means t0 be moved into unlocking position, and Wherein further, the locking means for the hin ed arm is a spring actuated part and a bus ed aperture in the base frame having key apertures immediately above the spring.

6. A. toilet paper dispensing device comprising a base frame having an arm xedly secured to one end of the base frame and extending laterally therefrom, combined with an adjustable arm hinged to the other end of the base frame and also extending laterally therefrom, said arms respectively provided with portions projecting in opposite directions for supporting the paper roll between them, a locking means on the base frame normally snapping into locking posi-- tion with respect to the hinged arm, and means for permitting said locking means to be moved into unlocking position, and Wherein further, the locking means comprises a spring secured to the base and a heel portion on the hinged arm, and an aperture in the base above the spring whereby actuating means may be inserted through the aperture frame normally snapping into locking posi-V tion With respect to lthe hinged arm, and means for permitting said locking means to be moved into unlocking position, and wherein further, the locking means for the hinged arm comprises a heel extension. on the hinged arm and a spring secured to the base engaging the heel extension to hold it and the arm rigidly against movement when in roll supporting position and at other times yieldingly holding the arm out of roll engaging position but permitting it to be moved and the spring to snap into locking position when the arm is moved into roll engaging position.

ln testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

PHILIP l). PARSONS. 

